IN CONVERSATION WITH DIOR GOODJOHN

interview by JANA LETONJA

Dior Goodjohn is one of Hollywood’s rising young stars, bringing charisma, depth, and edge to every role she takes on. She currently shines as Clarisse La Rue in Disney+’s hit series ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’, a role that has cemented her as a fan favourite within the beloved franchise. With season two, ‘The Sea of Monsters’, premiering on 10th December, Dior promises to deliver an even more impactful and dynamic performance, continuing Clarisse’s journey with intensity and heart.

Season one of ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’ introduced audiences to your Clarisse La Rue. How did you approach bringing her to life? 

My process has evolved and changed significantly over the years, especially between seasons one and two. However, it always comes back to the same thing, understanding her motivations and her backstory. A lot of the groundwork when it came to Clarisse was creating memories for the character. I try to understand what trauma she went through as a child, how that might inform decisions she makes now and allow myself to be tied to her nervous system. I want every emotion I’m feeling to be real, raw and alive within our shared body. 

Season two adapts ‘The Sea of Monsters’. Without giving too much away, what can fans expect from Clarisse’s journey this time around?

She goes through so much and is challenged time and time again this season. It allows her to learn and see things from a different perspective, which triggers a turn for her that you would not expect. I think even the book fans will be pleasantly surprised with the arc and evolution she experiences this season. I mean, I was certainly shocked in the best way possible when I read the scripts for the first time. It’s going to be epic.

Clarisse is such a strong, fiery character. Do you find yourself relating to her in real life?

It’s funny, people are always quite shocked when they meet me in person. The first thing they typically say is that I’m nothing like my character. I find it hilarious because I feel like I relate to her on such a deep and personal level. I think the gift playing Clarisse has given me is that she creates a space for all of the shadow aspects of myself to exist in a very safe and unapologetic way. She gives me the space to be light and unserious in my personal life.  

How has it felt stepping into a role that already has such a devoted book fan base behind it? 

It’s very complex. At first, it’s shocking and amazing, then you realise the responsibility to the series, legacy and fans, and that’s slightly jarring for a split second. Then you get this overwhelming wave of encouragement because there are so many people who support and love you just for being who you are. Our fan base is amazing. When you put out good work, they are so quick to acknowledge the attention to detail and are extremely vocal about their appreciation for it and for what you’ve brought to the character. It makes the process so rewarding.

What’s the best part of working on a project with such an incredible ensemble cast of young talent?

Honestly, having people that see you and understand you. I always had my small group of friends growing up, but it was really hard finding anyone who understood me fully. Being around this group of such talented and kindhearted people is the biggest blessing I could’ve ever been given. I feel like we learned so much from each other on a daily basis just by being scene partners and watching each other work. It’s honestly one of the cooler things I’ve gotten to experience in my life. 

Fans also know you from ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’. How did that project help shape your growth as an actress?

It was the first time I was exposed to the idea of developing a process. It all came from our director, Dean Israelite. We would have weekly meetings together, the same way we do weekly Sunday meetings with the ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’ cast. We would go over the week and what scenes we were shooting, and how we wanted to shoot them. It gave us a chance to play and make offers before we actually got to set. I would say I’m a mixture of a type A and type B person, but when it comes to my work, I prefer to be very analytical and understand all of the ins and outs. I only learned this about myself after ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark’ and it set me up beautifully for ‘Percy Jackson & The Olympians’. 

What kinds of roles excite you the most when you think about the future of your career? 

Everything. What I love about being an actress is that you get to shed yourself and slip into a completely different reality for the time that you are working on a project. What excites me the most about my career in general is the opportunities to play characters that are on complete opposite sides of the spectrum of each other. To go from doing action, to biopic, to drama, to comedy, etc. Just being able to play, to be challenged, and express in all kinds of ways is what excites me the most. 

If you could dream-cast yourself opposite anyone in Hollywood, who would it be?

Oh God, that’s a hard question. There’s so many. I think my answer is always going to be changing, but recently, I’ve been very into the filmography of Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Angelina Jolie. To play opposite any of those women and learn from them would be a dream.

How do you balance staying true to yourself while stepping into such powerful, larger-than-life characters? 

It comes down to having the right people around me. People that are respectful of the process I go through to develop and live in a character, and people who encourage me. My mother, my father, my manager, and my acting coach have been saving graces at times where I feel overwhelmed. I couldn’t be more grateful to have them in my life.  

You’re at such an exciting stage in your career. Do you feel pressure, or do you see it as an opportunity to explore? 

It’s a blessing. I’m aware of the opportunity that I’ve been given and how many people wish they were in the position that I was in, so I don’t take it for granted. I work hard, stay humble, and do my best to stay on the straight and narrow. To make it count, not just for me, but for everyone who wanted or wants be here. At the same time, it’s important to stop and smell the roses so there’s not so much pressure to perform, but an urge to find the balance. 

Looking ahead beyond ‘Percy Jackson’, what’s next on your horizon?

I won’t say too much, but six-year-old Dior would be in shock at where we are and where we’re going, so stay tuned.

TEAM CREDITS:

photography EMILYNN ROSE
styling MAEVE REILLY
hair SABRINA PORSCHE
makeup MEGAN LOMBARDI
interview JANA LETONJA